Aussie of the Year

[Naomi]

I have to admit my first thought was "really??" but yeah, at least it's not another sports person. Would be nice to see a quiet achiever win it for a change though.

[Binx]

What about that mental health professional that won it last year, or the year before N?

But I'm with you, I'm not into sports people winning Australian of the Year...

[Alexa]

2000 Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE 1931 Biologist
2001 GEN Peter Cosgrove AC MC 1947 Commander of the International Force for East Timor (1999-2000); Chief of Army (2000–2002); Chief of the Defence Force (2002–2005)
2002 Patrick Rafter 1972 Tennis player
2003 Fiona Stanley AC 1946 Epidemiologist
2004 Steve Waugh AO 1965 Australian cricket team captain and humanitarian
2005 Fiona Wood AM 1958 Plastic surgeon; worked with victims of the 2002 Bali bombings
2006 Ian Frazer 1953 Immunologist
2007 Tim Flannery 1956 Scientist; global warming activist
2008 Lee Kernaghan OAM 1964 Singer
2009 Mick Dodson AM 1950 Indigenous leader
2010 Patrick McGorry AO 1953 Psychiatrist
2011 Simon McKeon 1955 Philanthropist businessman
2012 Geoffrey Rush 1951 Australian actor and film producer
2013 Ita Buttrose AO OBE 1942 Australian journalist and businesswoman, founding editor of Cleo[3]

[Heather]

Whoever is chosen as Australian of the year....there is always going to be a debate on their worthiness of the honour.

[Naomi]

I don't actually feel strongly enough to debate about it, and looking at the list Alex posted it actually seems a good mix of people. I guess it's not something I think about for longer than the time I read the headline each year.